Changes

"External Alchemy" refers to the refinement of 'elixirs' with minerals such as gold and stone. Mr. Chen Guofu points out that 'elixir' also refers to the cinnabar from which it was thought that gold could be refined. The skill of refining gold is called 'Feilian' in which 'fei' refers to transformation. The whole technical process is called External Alchemy. "Yellow and White" refers to gold and silver. In fact, the 'gold' described in some early Taoist texts was nothing but the yellow remains of burned minerals, which, in the early Taoists' eyes, were the equivalent of real gold. It was not until the Tang dynasty that they were finally distinguished by calling them 'alchemical gold'. Meanwhile, the silver used in external alchemy was called 'alchemical silver'. According to Chinese linguistic practice as well as the fact that, in alchemical practices, 'gold' is a more important substance than 'silver', the external alchemy arts were named 'Gold Transformation Arts'. ( 點金術 Dianjin Shu )